Maurice Clarett is a Bronco (1 Viewer)

[Footballhead]

Somewhere along the jokes lines here and there, Clarrett and Dayne may find one or two sandwich things in common and forming the odd couple , motivate each other, conquer the AFC West first and the NFL later, becoming what would be known as the best dynamic duo in the history of this sport. Ahhh who am i kidding, but liking the same sandwich, that's realistic.

 

[Family Matters]

LOL at anybody on this board who thinks they know more about drafting RBs than skeletor.

So should that be interpreted as Clarett is not a risk? Who exactly has said they know more about RB's then Shanny? I missed that somewhere.The talent hasn't been criticized (except for his slow times) that I've posted. The character, well that's another issue. I should also point out that a few of the ESPN analyst share the same concerns. Remember the old saying "where there's smoke there's fire"? Well in Clarett's case, there have been plenty of fires.

I'm surprised that so many feel he's not a risk. It's been well documented for 2 years and yet several folks oblivious to all the issues he has.

 

[beto]

A certain smart, handsome FBG called this 13 months ago.

I remember that post.

 

[Family Matters]

I know he called out OSU for being a corrupt program, which has earned their ire. But about what did he lie? The only thing I can think of is the issue with the stolen car, but a) he claims (and I've never heard this contradicted) that he was estimating the value, which makes it seem more like laziness than dishonesty, and b) he had NOTHING to gain from lying, again tending to undercut the assertion that he deliberately lied.

Like him or not, Jim Brown was in Clarett's corner. Brown is not a liar and he's all about calling out people: Franco Harris for being soft, O.J. Simpson for being a phony thug, etc. I don't think Brown would try to help this kid out if he thought Clarett was simply no good as a person--immature yes, lowlife...another story.

I've been so up and down about Clarett in the last few years, it's gotten ridiculous but there are two things that have me keeping an open mind: New England considered him as a first day pick in 2004 and now this...

I think he's purely seen as a luxury pick for depth and development.

I was amazed that when Brown tried to help him he then burned Brown!

 

[LHUCKS]

LOL at anybody on this board who thinks they know more about drafting RBs than skeletor.

So should that be interpreted as Clarett is not a risk? Who exactly has said they know more about RB's then Shanny? I missed that somewhere.The talent hasn't been criticized (except for his slow times) that I've posted. The character, well that's another issue. I should also point out that a few of the ESPN analyst share the same concerns. Remember the old saying "where there's smoke there's fire"? Well in Clarett's case, there have been plenty of fires.

I'm surprised that so many feel he's not a risk. It's been well documented for 2 years and yet several folks oblivious to all the issues he has.

Every player in the draft has some risk...starting with pick 1.01 - Alex Smith.If Shannahan thinks Clarett is worth a 3rd round pick I'm pretty sure his track record speaks volumes as to whether it was a solid pick or not.

The two most overrated features on draft day are:

1) character

2) 40 time

Jerry Rice and Emmit Smith didn't have "fast" 40 times.

Randy Moss had "character" issues.

 

[Family Matters]

LOL at anybody on this board who thinks they know more about drafting RBs than skeletor.

So should that be interpreted as Clarett is not a risk? Who exactly has said they know more about RB's then Shanny? I missed that somewhere.The talent hasn't been criticized (except for his slow times) that I've posted. The character, well that's another issue. I should also point out that a few of the ESPN analyst share the same concerns. Remember the old saying "where there's smoke there's fire"? Well in Clarett's case, there have been plenty of fires.

I'm surprised that so many feel he's not a risk. It's been well documented for 2 years and yet several folks oblivious to all the issues he has.

Every player in the draft has some risk...starting with pick 1.01 - Alex Smith.If Shannahan thinks Clarett is worth a 3rd round pick I'm pretty sure his track record speaks volumes as to whether it was a solid pick or not.

The two most overrated features on draft day are:

1) character

2) 40 time

Jerry Rice and Emmit Smith didn't have "fast" 40 times.

Randy Moss had "character" issues.

LOL @ everyone has some risk. That's a cop out to my question and you didn't even answer that but that's ok. As for Shanny, I have a tremendous amount of respect for him and for his judgement. But, I don't have to agree with everything he does. 40 times are at times overrated but there comes a point where you're too slow for your position. Clarett is on the border.

As for character, I refuse to compromise on my position. But that's just me. Some things don't bother me as much as others but the one thing I can say with utmost certainty is that Clarett cannot be trusted. By anyone. He will burn you if he doesn't get his way. And it'll be your fault. I have no tolerence for people like that.

The only reason Shanny drafted Clarett is because of Bobby Taylor, RB coach for Denver because of his personal relationship with Clarett. Taylor seems to have sold Shanny on him and that's that.

 

[Bojang0301]

LOL at anybody on this board who thinks they know more about drafting RBs than skeletor.

So should that be interpreted as Clarett is not a risk? Who exactly has said they know more about RB's then Shanny? I missed that somewhere.The talent hasn't been criticized (except for his slow times) that I've posted. The character, well that's another issue. I should also point out that a few of the ESPN analyst share the same concerns. Remember the old saying "where there's smoke there's fire"? Well in Clarett's case, there have been plenty of fires.

I'm surprised that so many feel he's not a risk. It's been well documented for 2 years and yet several folks oblivious to all the issues he has.

Every player in the draft has some risk...starting with pick 1.01 - Alex Smith.If Shannahan thinks Clarett is worth a 3rd round pick I'm pretty sure his track record speaks volumes as to whether it was a solid pick or not.

The two most overrated features on draft day are:

1) character

2) 40 time

Jerry Rice and Emmit Smith didn't have "fast" 40 times.

Randy Moss had "character" issues.

LOL @ everyone has some risk. That's a cop out to my question and you didn't even answer that but that's ok. As for Shanny, I have a tremendous amount of respect for him and for his judgement. But, I don't have to agree with everything he does. 40 times are at times overrated but there comes a point where you're too slow for your position. Clarett is on the border.

As for character, I refuse to compromise on my position. But that's just me. Some things don't bother me as much as others but the one thing I can say with utmost certainty is that Clarett cannot be trusted. By anyone. He will burn you if he doesn't get his way. And it'll be your fault. I have no tolerence for people like that.

The only reason Shanny drafted Clarett is because of Bobby Taylor, RB coach for Denver because of his personal relationship with Clarett. Taylor seems to have sold Shanny on him and that's that.

Your character argument is understandable but in FF points arn't measured by character. Clarett is the type of back that fits the system and could remind us of TD if he gets his shot.

 

[RAIDERNATION.]

Part of John Clayton's article on ESPN.com, which should explain the high selection.

But it was the Dallas Cowboys who gave him hopes of being a higher draft choice. Parcells secretly told Clarett he would take him, possibly as high as the fourth round. To Clarett, it was incentive. However, Shanahan offered a better reward by taking him in the third."Bill Parcells said he would take him in the fourth," Luchs said. "There have been some teams sneaking around, showing interest. Jerry Jones and Bill put in a lot of time checking it out."The Broncos' selection came as a bigger surprise because no one from the organization even came to Clarett's workout earlier this month in Ohio. Shanahan has a feel for backs, and he apparently wanted to take a gamble.

 

[Family Matters]

Your character argument is understandable but in FF points arn't measured by character. Clarett is the type of back that fits the system and could remind us of TD if he gets his shot.

Agreed. FF points are measured by performance. The character come into play because of what he's done to others in the past. Quit. If he does the same to Denver then he'll never get on the field. But I agree that if he does get on the field he'll do well. As I've said repeatedly, he's talented.

 

[Bojang0301]

Your character argument is understandable but in FF points arn't measured by character. Clarett is the type of back that fits the system and could remind us of TD if he gets his shot.

Agreed. FF points are measured by performance. The character come into play because of what he's done to others in the past. Quit. If he does the same to Denver then he'll never get on the field. But I agree that if he does get on the field he'll do well. As I've said repeatedly, he's talented.

Yep you have. I wonder where you would take him in your draft at this point though.

 

[pigskin pimp]

interesting offseason for Denver, first picks up the underacheiving Ron Dayne, then signs the entire underacheiving Browns Dline, now drafts Clarett ahead of Marion Baber and Ciatrick Fason...  maybe they found some secret formula in developing player there in denver 

In case you've been in a coma for the last ten years, Denver actually has found a secret formula for developing running backs.

Yeah, it's called an offensive line with a chop blocking scheme. When your little used FB goes off for huge numbers to help FF teams make the playoffs, you you know something's up.T. Davis

O. Gary

M. Anderson

C. Portis

R. Droughens

Q. Griffin

T. Bell

Quick, which RB was selected in the 1st 2 rounds of an NFL draft.

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Sorry, trick question.

 

[Peter]

If Taylor convinced Shanny to take Maurice early, might he convince him to play him more than Skeletor would want?

 

[valhallan]

I mean seriously could clarett in his wildest dreams have envisioned a better oppurtunity than this?

Without reading the rest of the thread, NOPE.Unbelievable.

 

[Chaka]

Yeah, it's called an offensive line with a chop blocking scheme. When your little used FB goes off for huge numbers to help FF teams make the playoffs, you you know something's up.

T. Davis

O. Gary

M. Anderson

C. Portis

R. Droughens

Q. Griffin

T. Bell

Quick, which RB was selected in the 1st 2 rounds of an NFL draft.

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.

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.

.

.

.

.

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.

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Sorry, trick question.

Uhhhhhhhh...Tatum Bell 2-9 AND Clinton Portis 2-19.Neat trick.

 

[Portis 26]

Clarett is the type of back that fits the system and could remind us of TD if he gets his shot.

Is that because he's so quick to hit the hole? In what sense does he suit the Denver running game?

 

[EbTide73]

Clarett is the type of back that fits the system and could remind us of TD if he gets his shot.

Is that because he's so quick to hit the hole? In what sense does he suit the Denver running game?

You have to admit that Shanny gets the most out of his backs. With that O line just about anybody could run behind it and get the yards to move the chains. And then there was this pick by the Bills taking an injured Willis McGahee with everyone scrathing their heads as to why.Let's not second or third guess what we don't know. But, we can always speculate! And speculate is what we do best!

 

[Englishteacher]

The real question is who wins a foot race to the jelly donut, Dayne or Clarrett?

 

[Englishteacher]

The real question is who wins a foot race to the jelly donut, Dayne or Clarrett?

Clarett by a double-chin?

 

[Finatic]

As a Bell owner in two leagues I can tell you I slept alot easier last night.I would have been more worried had they taken Moats,Fason or BarberIII.......

 

[Englishteacher]

The real question is who wins a foot race to the jelly donut, Dayne or Clarrett?

Depends on the distance. If it's over 50 yards, my bets on the jelly donut.

 

[Facemask]

As a Bell owner in two leagues I can tell you I slept alot easier last night.I would have been more worried had they taken Moats,Fason or BarberIII.......

I think you are tricking yourself!! You are in trouble along with all the other Bell owners.No MO sleep for you!

 

[Cecil Lammey]

This pick made me go.... I had just slammed MO on the air for giggling like a sissy girl at his first combine. His quitting concerns me, it doesn't take much for him to quit. TD had heartCP had great skillsRD had determinationSo what happens to MO? I question his heart, his skill set isn't extraordinary, and I question his determination. Does he hit a little bump in the road and then quit? Can he even stay healthy? He certainly should thank his lucky stars for being drafted into this system. It gives him the best chance to succeed. That being said, this year is all about Tatum Bell. He has added more muscle this off season and looks to be in GREAT shape.

 

[Vitruvian Man]

I posted this in the draft thread:

Clarett? You gotta be kidding me! #rd round, Denver? I am absolutely shocked. I know Denver knows how to pick RB's but with all the issues he's had I can't believe he was the guy they wanted. Especially when he could be had in the 4th or 5th. I think they really reached on him

The other problem I see is Clarett's willingness to quit. First time he's told he's running the wrong way or through the wrong hole or that he'll have to sit while Bell's the man, he's likely to quit and pack it in.

I hope he makes good on this gift because he has no idea just how fortunate he is to be drafted by Denver in the 3rd round. I hope he does right by Denver.

BTW-say goodbye to Dayne!

The problem with this logic is that the Broncos don't have a 4th or 5th round selection. Their next pick is in the sixth round, #200 overall. If Shanahan and Sundquist thought Clarett would be taken by another team in the 4th or 5th, it makes absolute sense for them to grab him at the end of round #3.

 

[Family Matters]

This pick made me go....   I had just slammed MO on the air for giggling like a sissy girl at his first combine.  His quitting concerns me, it doesn't take much for him to quit. 

TD had heart

CP had great skills

RD had determination

So what happens to MO?  I question his heart, his skill set isn't extraordinary, and I question his determination.  Does he hit a little bump in the road and then quit?  Can he even stay healthy? 

He certainly should thank his lucky stars for being drafted into this system.  It gives him the best chance to succeed.  That being said, this year is all about Tatum Bell.  He has added more muscle this off season and looks to be in GREAT shape.

Reb-sounds like what I posted earlier and I think you're right have these questions. It seems a few around here actually think he's going to be the starter. First things first:make the team. With MO, it's not a lock. As for those of you think MO's gonna be the man: "You don't know MO".

 

[Bloom]

i just dont see shanny taking clarett if he has no intention of giving him a chance to win the job in camp. i dont think mo can beat bell in a head to head matchup, but bell is a training camp injury away from having his name on a gravestone in the denver RB cemetery, because i think clarett runs wild behind that line and doesnt give the job back (until he gets hurt)

 

[Chase Stuart]

LOL at anybody on this board who thinks they know more about drafting RBs than skeletor.

So should that be interpreted as Clarett is not a risk? Who exactly has said they know more about RB's then Shanny? I missed that somewhere.The talent hasn't been criticized (except for his slow times) that I've posted. The character, well that's another issue. I should also point out that a few of the ESPN analyst share the same concerns. Remember the old saying "where there's smoke there's fire"? Well in Clarett's case, there have been plenty of fires.

I'm surprised that so many feel he's not a risk. It's been well documented for 2 years and yet several folks oblivious to all the issues he has.

Every player in the draft has some risk...starting with pick 1.01 - Alex Smith.If Shannahan thinks Clarett is worth a 3rd round pick I'm pretty sure his track record speaks volumes as to whether it was a solid pick or not.

The two most overrated features on draft day are:

1) character

2) 40 time

Jerry Rice and Emmit Smith didn't have "fast" 40 times.

Randy Moss had "character" issues.

Warren Sapp and Dan Marino had character issues too...glad the Jets got Ken O'Brien and Kyle Brady instead.

 

[greenroom]

I posted this in the draft thread:

Clarett? You gotta be kidding me! #rd round, Denver? I am absolutely shocked. I know Denver knows how to pick RB's but with all the issues he's had I can't believe he was the guy they wanted. Especially when he could be had in the 4th or 5th. I think they really reached on him

The other problem I see is Clarett's willingness to quit. First time he's told he's running the wrong way or through the wrong hole or that he'll have to sit while Bell's the man, he's likely to quit and pack it in.

I hope he makes good on this gift because he has no idea just how fortunate he is to be drafted by Denver in the 3rd round. I hope he does right by Denver.

BTW-say goodbye to Dayne!

The problem with this logic is that the Broncos don't have a 4th or 5th round selection. Their next pick is in the sixth round, #200 overall. If Shanahan and Sundquist thought Clarett would be taken by another team in the 4th or 5th, it makes absolute sense for them to grab him at the end of round #3.

There must have been a leak out of the Dallas War Room that they were going to pick Mo in the 4th round. And since Denver DOES NOT have a pick to round 6 it was then or miss him.

And for the Bell dynasty owners you have to be worried. Yes I don't think he will be a "factor" this year, but I think after this year once he gets back into football shape and a full year of practice. I think year two for Mo he will be the Bronco's running back of the future.

 

[Yao Ming]

I used a dynasty rookie draft pick on another highly talented, slow, and troubled RB last year thinking he'd whip right into shape in the NFL......anybody seen Clarence Farmer lately?

 

[zamboni]

As mentioned several times, we are in no position to Shanahan's judge of talent at the RB position. That said, he didn't exactly strike it big with Griffin and Hearst the past few years.I also read about the Dallas interest in Clarett, and I think this was a case of trying to take a chance on him since they weren't picking until the 6th.

 

[Chase Stuart]

I'm probably in the smallest of minorities when it comes to this situation. I think:

1) Clarett's character issues are overblown and he 100% should have challenged the NFL's rule, and it's a shame that he couldn't win. It IS unfair to Clarett that he wasn't able to enter the NFL, and the media was way off (what else is new) ripping Mo a new one.

2) I also think Clarett's skill set is overrated. He only played one year, 2002, and here were his ranks:

31st in rushing yards

33rd in rushing yards per carry (minimum: 100 carries)

T-14th in rushing touchdowns

Yes, Clarett accomplished this all as a freshman. He also rushed 23 times for 47 yards against Miami in the BCS title game. I'm just not so sure about his good he really is. I remember everyone said that Clarett was better than Larry Johnson, but as a PSU guy I defended LJ. I thought in 2002 LJ was better, and I certainly think in 2004 LJ is better.

3) I think in some ways the Broncos running attack is overrated. Through fifteen weeks last year, Denver's RBs yards per carry was 4.35, good for thirteenth best in the league:

min 4.95clt 4.85kan 4.80nyj 4.68sea 4.63gnb 4.62phi 4.53nyg 4.53det 4.50oti 4.50ram 4.39nwe 4.39den 4.35 Denver also ranked just fourteenth in RB rushing TDs through fifteen weeks. The bottom line is they were just slightly above average in RB yards per carry and RB touchdowns--certainly not RB "heaven".

Feel free to rip away, but that's just my different take on things.

 

[zamboni]

2) I also think Clarett's skill set is overrated. He only played one year, 2002, and here were his ranks:

31st in rushing yards

33rd in rushing yards per carry (minimum: 100 carries)

T-14th in rushing touchdowns

This is what I keep coming back to. Yes, Clarett had a solid year as a freshman, but I think it's also overblown since he did it on a national championship team.And as mentioned, he only played one year, and now is a couple of years of rust on him.

Again, we're not exactly in a position to evaluate talent like Shanny, but if he can get this one to work, good for him.

 

[Chase Stuart]

2) I also think Clarett's skill set is overrated. He only played one year, 2002, and here were his ranks:

31st in rushing yards

33rd in rushing yards per carry (minimum: 100 carries)

T-14th in rushing touchdowns

This is what I keep coming back to. Yes, Clarett had a solid year as a freshman, but I think it's also overblown since he did it on a national championship team.And as mentioned, he only played one year, and now is a couple of years of rust on him.

Again, we're not exactly in a position to evaluate talent like Shanny, but if he can get this one to work, good for him.

To put it another way...does anyone know/care who ranked 29th and 30th in rushing yards in 2002?

 

[Bloom]

ignore clarett's stats. the crucial thing about him is that he already ran in a natural NFL style - showing feel for finding creases, a burst through hole, a good instinct for when to initiate contact, a good instinct for when to break it to the outside, and incredible short yardage skills.if clarett is given a shot, he'll produce. the question is whether he'll keep his head on straight for long enough to get it, and stay healthy once he gets it.

 

[BuckeyeArt]

2) I also think Clarett's skill set is overrated. He only played one year, 2002, and here were his ranks:

31st in rushing yards

33rd in rushing yards per carry (minimum: 100 carries)

T-14th in rushing touchdowns

This is what I keep coming back to. Yes, Clarett had a solid year as a freshman, but I think it's also overblown since he did it on a national championship team.And as mentioned, he only played one year, and now is a couple of years of rust on him.

Again, we're not exactly in a position to evaluate talent like Shanny, but if he can get this one to work, good for him.

To put it another way...does anyone know/care who ranked 29th and 30th in rushing yards in 2002?

You guys have to come up with some better stats. He had those despite missing 3 full games and most of 2 others. To play only 9 full games and still rank that high is pretty good. OSU ran the ball 629 times that year vs. 280 passes yet - everyone knew they were running yet he only had 29 yds for loss vs 1266 for gain. As for the Miami game, Tressel called the most conservative game possible, running 52 times vs 21 passes, with most running plays coming on 1st and 2nd down. Nobody could have run well under those circumstances. Anyone remember Clarett running down Sean Taylor after an interception and stripping the ball? Did that look like a quitter? And for the injury prone label, he had 1 injury that year but kept coming back too early when they needed him. Once again, not the sign of a quitter.

 

[Chase Stuart]

2) I also think Clarett's skill set is overrated. He only played one year, 2002, and here were his ranks:

31st in rushing yards

33rd in rushing yards per carry (minimum: 100 carries)

T-14th in rushing touchdowns

This is what I keep coming back to. Yes, Clarett had a solid year as a freshman, but I think it's also overblown since he did it on a national championship team.And as mentioned, he only played one year, and now is a couple of years of rust on him.

Again, we're not exactly in a position to evaluate talent like Shanny, but if he can get this one to work, good for him.

To put it another way...does anyone know/care who ranked 29th and 30th in rushing yards in 2002?

You guys have to come up with some better stats. He had those despite missing 3 full games and most of 2 others. To play only 9 full games and still rank that high is pretty good. OSU ran the ball 629 times that year vs. 280 passes yet - everyone knew they were running yet he only had 29 yds for loss vs 1266 for gain. As for the Miami game, Tressel called the most conservative game possible, running 52 times vs 21 passes, with most running plays coming on 1st and 2nd down. Nobody could have run well under those circumstances. Anyone remember Clarett running down Sean Taylor after an interception and stripping the ball? Did that look like a quitter? And for the injury prone label, he had 1 injury that year but kept coming back too early when they needed him. Once again, not the sign of a quitter.

When did I ever call Clarett a quitter?I figured "you guys" would refute my rushing yards criticism with the fact that he missed some time. Can you now explain why he ranked 33rd in yards per carry?

Clarett's a good player--but the media overblew everything. He's not nearly as "bad" a person as he's made out to be, but he's not nearly as "amazing" a player as he's viewed.

 

[redman]

His press conference just now was painful to listen to. Dude's dumber than a bag of hammers and won't take any ownership of his past problems - he just wants to sweep it under the rug because "I'm living a dream right now." He's going to be a mess.

 

[rabiddawgs]

this is just my 2 cents worth, i am a ohio state fan and this is my opinion on the mo situation.1st during his freshman year about 4-5 games into it all we heard from the media is how mo is going to be the first freshman to win the heisman. 2nd we also heard from espn and other sports reporters how good of a running back he was, great vision, great speed to the hole and more. saying how great of a pro running back he would be.3rd the car that he got was a loaner from a local used car dealer, hole in the wall place, it got broken into at practice. the car had tv's in the headrests. he said he had a bunch of cd's and some cash. he did estimate the value of the stuff stolen a little high but he didnt know hwat the true value of the tv's.if you think that he is the only college player to get a car from a local dealer to drive on loaner till he makes it big in the nfl your truely kidding yourself all of the top college players are pretty much doing it.after seeing his good friend labron james make it out of high school to make millions he wanted a piece of the pie also. dont blame him there.i dont like the fact that he though ohio state under the bus with his lies.i think that he has realized how much he screwed up and will get in better shape to prove everyone else wrong about his skills and mental aspects. he is getting a second chance and i think that he will prosper in the denver system.

 

[BuckeyeArt]

2) I also think Clarett's skill set is overrated. He only played one year, 2002, and here were his ranks:

31st in rushing yards

33rd in rushing yards per carry (minimum: 100 carries)

T-14th in rushing touchdowns

This is what I keep coming back to. Yes, Clarett had a solid year as a freshman, but I think it's also overblown since he did it on a national championship team.And as mentioned, he only played one year, and now is a couple of years of rust on him.

Again, we're not exactly in a position to evaluate talent like Shanny, but if he can get this one to work, good for him.

To put it another way...does anyone know/care who ranked 29th and 30th in rushing yards in 2002?

You guys have to come up with some better stats. He had those despite missing 3 full games and most of 2 others. To play only 9 full games and still rank that high is pretty good. OSU ran the ball 629 times that year vs. 280 passes yet - everyone knew they were running yet he only had 29 yds for loss vs 1266 for gain. As for the Miami game, Tressel called the most conservative game possible, running 52 times vs 21 passes, with most running plays coming on 1st and 2nd down. Nobody could have run well under those circumstances. Anyone remember Clarett running down Sean Taylor after an interception and stripping the ball? Did that look like a quitter? And for the injury prone label, he had 1 injury that year but kept coming back too early when they needed him. Once again, not the sign of a quitter.

When did I ever call Clarett a quitter?I figured "you guys" would refute my rushing yards criticism with the fact that he missed some time. Can you now explain why he ranked 33rd in yards per carry?

Clarett's a good player--but the media overblew everything. He's not nearly as "bad" a person as he's made out to be, but he's not nearly as "amazing" a player as he's viewed.

You didn't. I was just rambling. The quitter label seems to be the overriding character flaw right now. His yards per carry were greatly affected by the play calling of Tressel. If you watch any of Tressel's games, a 2nd grader can defense the calls. He calls probably the most conservative games of any division 1 coach. Everybody knows they are running on 1st and 2nd down. OSU hasn't had a RB anywhere near a 5.6 since, even with basically the same line.

How many above him had more than 200 carries. There's a big difference between 100 and 200 carries. How many were full time backs - they ran the ball on 1st down. I would point to Steven Jackson as an example of a back with relatively average ypc doing well in the NFL. What was his ypc his last year, around 4.5? And that's in the defensively weak Pac 10. I would think 33rd in the country (in the Big 10) is a positive, not a negative.

 

[Chase Stuart]

2) I also think Clarett's skill set is overrated. He only played one year, 2002, and here were his ranks:

31st in rushing yards

33rd in rushing yards per carry (minimum: 100 carries)

T-14th in rushing touchdowns

This is what I keep coming back to. Yes, Clarett had a solid year as a freshman, but I think it's also overblown since he did it on a national championship team.And as mentioned, he only played one year, and now is a couple of years of rust on him.

Again, we're not exactly in a position to evaluate talent like Shanny, but if he can get this one to work, good for him.

To put it another way...does anyone know/care who ranked 29th and 30th in rushing yards in 2002?

You guys have to come up with some better stats. He had those despite missing 3 full games and most of 2 others. To play only 9 full games and still rank that high is pretty good. OSU ran the ball 629 times that year vs. 280 passes yet - everyone knew they were running yet he only had 29 yds for loss vs 1266 for gain. As for the Miami game, Tressel called the most conservative game possible, running 52 times vs 21 passes, with most running plays coming on 1st and 2nd down. Nobody could have run well under those circumstances. Anyone remember Clarett running down Sean Taylor after an interception and stripping the ball? Did that look like a quitter? And for the injury prone label, he had 1 injury that year but kept coming back too early when they needed him. Once again, not the sign of a quitter.

When did I ever call Clarett a quitter?I figured "you guys" would refute my rushing yards criticism with the fact that he missed some time. Can you now explain why he ranked 33rd in yards per carry?

Clarett's a good player--but the media overblew everything. He's not nearly as "bad" a person as he's made out to be, but he's not nearly as "amazing" a player as he's viewed.

You didn't. I was just rambling. The quitter label seems to be the overriding character flaw right now. His yards per carry were greatly affected by the play calling of Tressel. If you watch any of Tressel's games, a 2nd grader can defense the calls. He calls probably the most conservative games of any division 1 coach. Everybody knows they are running on 1st and 2nd down. OSU hasn't had a RB anywhere near a 5.6 since, even with basically the same line.

How many above him had more than 200 carries. There's a big difference between 100 and 200 carries. How many were full time backs - they ran the ball on 1st down. I would point to Steven Jackson as an example of a back with relatively average ypc doing well in the NFL. What was his ypc his last year, around 4.5? And that's in the defensively weak Pac 10. I would think 33rd in the country (in the Big 10) is a positive, not a negative.

I'm well aware that the correlation between college YPC and NFL success may not be very strong. For what it's worth, Clarett's YPC ranked 11th among RBs with 200 carries in 2002.Larry Johnson: 271 carries, 7.7 ypc

Quentin Griffin: 282 carries, 6.6 ypc

Willis McGahee: 282 carries, 6.2 ypc

Darren Sproles: 237 carries, 6.2 ypc (who just got drafted to backup LT)

Chris Brown: 303 carries, 6.1 ypc

Joe Smith: 208 carries, 5.8 ypc

Fred Russell: 220 carries, 5.7 ypc

Terry Caulley: 220 carries, 5.7 ypc

Michael Turner: 338 carries, 5.7 ypc

Jason Wright: 219 carries, 5.6 ypc

Maurice Clarett: 222 carries, 5.6 ypc

Chris Downs: 208 carries, 5.5 ypc

Terry Jackson II: 238 carries, 5.5 ypc

Derrick Knight: 259 carries, 5.5 ypc

Other notables:

Brock Forsey: 295 carries, 5.5 ypc

Kevin Jones: 160 carries, 5.4 ypc

Steven Jackson: 319 carries, 5.3 ypc

Carnell Williams: 141 carries, 5.3 ypc

Lee Suggs: 257 carries, 5.2 ypc

Dom Davis: 193 carries, 4.8 ypc

Clarett's numbers certainly aren't bad, but they don't stand out either. He was effective on a national championship team, with phenomenal talent surrounding him. Sure Dom Davis performed worse and Quentin Griffin performed better, so it's hard to peg Clarett's NFL prospects based on this. But I certainly don't look and say "WOW, if not for his character issues this guy would be a lock to be an NFL star."

 

[JohnnyU]

Starting right now I'm asking everyone to NOT blast Clarett. I'm a Bell owner and would love for someone to pick him BEFORE me. So starting right now, only say good things about Clarett. Clarett is a STUD

 

[Tricktickler P. Shizzle]

Some people call me Maurice

....

Cause' I'm a picker

I'm a grinner

I'm a lover

and I'm a sinner

I play my music in the sun

I'm a joker

I'm a smoker

I'm a mid-night toker

I sure don’t want to hurt no one

Yup, that sounds like the Maurice Clarett we all know and love, based on his combine performance.

 

[BuckeyeArt]

I'm well aware that the correlation between college YPC and NFL success may not be very strong. For what it's worth, Clarett's YPC ranked 11th among RBs with 200 carries in 2002.

Larry Johnson: 271 carries, 7.7 ypc

Quentin Griffin: 282 carries, 6.6 ypc

Willis McGahee: 282 carries, 6.2 ypc

Darren Sproles: 237 carries, 6.2 ypc (who just got drafted to backup LT)

Chris Brown: 303 carries, 6.1 ypc

Joe Smith: 208 carries, 5.8 ypc

Fred Russell: 220 carries, 5.7 ypc

Terry Caulley: 220 carries, 5.7 ypc

Michael Turner: 338 carries, 5.7 ypc

Jason Wright: 219 carries, 5.6 ypc

Maurice Clarett: 222 carries, 5.6 ypc

Chris Downs: 208 carries, 5.5 ypc

Terry Jackson II: 238 carries, 5.5 ypc

Derrick Knight: 259 carries, 5.5 ypc

Other notables:

Brock Forsey: 295 carries, 5.5 ypc

Kevin Jones: 160 carries, 5.4 ypc

Steven Jackson: 319 carries, 5.3 ypc

Carnell Williams: 141 carries, 5.3 ypc

Lee Suggs: 257 carries, 5.2 ypc

Dom Davis: 193 carries, 4.8 ypc

Clarett's numbers certainly aren't bad, but they don't stand out either. He was effective on a national championship team, with phenomenal talent surrounding him. Sure Dom Davis performed worse and Quentin Griffin performed better, so it's hard to peg Clarett's NFL prospects based on this. But I certainly don't look and say "WOW, if not for his character issues this guy would be a lock to be an NFL star."

Larry Johnson: 271 carries, 7.7 ypc - Big 10 6'2", 222 - looks like he can be an NFL starterQuentin Griffin: 282 carries, 6.6 ypc - Big 12 - 5'7", 190 - Does not include short yardage situations

Willis McGahee: 282 carries, 6.2 ypc - Big East - 6'1", 224 - NFL Starter

Darren Sproles: 237 carries, 6.2 ypc (who just got drafted to backup LT) - Big 12 - 5'7", 180 - Again, no short yardage stats in there

Chris Brown: 303 carries, 6.1 ypc - Big 12 - 6'3", 220 - NFL Starter

Joe Smith: 208 carries, 5.8 ypc - WAC - 6'1", 218 - Not exactly a defensive conference

Fred Russell: 220 carries, 5.7 ypc - Big 10 - 5'8", 190 - probably not a short yardage guy.

Terry Caulley: 220 carries, 5.7 ypc - Independant - 5'7", 186 - weak schedule

Michael Turner: 338 carries, 5.7 ypc - MAC - 6"0", 228 - 2nd tier conference

Jason Wright: 219 carries, 5.6 ypc - Big 10 - 5'10", 210 - ?

Maurice Clarett: 222 carries, 5.6 ypc - Big 10 - 6'0", 230

Chris Downs: 208 carries, 5.5 ypc - ACC - 5'8", 193 - Another little guy

Terry Jackson II: 238 carries, 5.5 ypc -S. Illinois - 5'11", 195 - light schedule

Derrick Knight: 259 carries, 5.5 ypc - Big East - 5'9", 205 - no short yardage

Take away the little, obvious 3rd down type backs and the players from 2nd tier conferences and you're left with McGahee, Johnson, Brown, Clarett, St Jackson, Davis, and Suggs - all of whom are NFL caliber starters. I think Clarett's 5.6 stands up pretty well.

Also, OSU didn't have phenomenal talent around him. They had a phenomenal defense but very average offensive players. Their line was far from phenomenal. Look at the rushing averages since.

 

[Chase Stuart]

I'm well aware that the correlation between college YPC and NFL success may not be very strong. For what it's worth, Clarett's YPC ranked 11th among RBs with 200 carries in 2002.

Larry Johnson: 271 carries, 7.7 ypc

Quentin Griffin: 282 carries, 6.6 ypc

Willis McGahee: 282 carries, 6.2 ypc

Darren Sproles: 237 carries, 6.2 ypc (who just got drafted to backup LT)

Chris Brown: 303 carries, 6.1 ypc

Joe Smith: 208 carries, 5.8 ypc

Fred Russell: 220 carries, 5.7 ypc

Terry Caulley: 220 carries, 5.7 ypc

Michael Turner: 338 carries, 5.7 ypc

Jason Wright: 219 carries, 5.6 ypc

Maurice Clarett: 222 carries, 5.6 ypc

Chris Downs: 208 carries, 5.5 ypc

Terry Jackson II: 238 carries, 5.5 ypc

Derrick Knight: 259 carries, 5.5 ypc

Other notables:

Brock Forsey: 295 carries, 5.5 ypc

Kevin Jones: 160 carries, 5.4 ypc

Steven Jackson: 319 carries, 5.3 ypc

Carnell Williams: 141 carries, 5.3 ypc

Lee Suggs: 257 carries, 5.2 ypc

Dom Davis: 193 carries, 4.8 ypc

Clarett's numbers certainly aren't bad, but they don't stand out either. He was effective on a national championship team, with phenomenal talent surrounding him. Sure Dom Davis performed worse and Quentin Griffin performed better, so it's hard to peg Clarett's NFL prospects based on this. But I certainly don't look and say "WOW, if not for his character issues this guy would be a lock to be an NFL star."

Larry Johnson: 271 carries, 7.7 ypc - Big 10 6'2", 222 - looks like he can be an NFL starterQuentin Griffin: 282 carries, 6.6 ypc - Big 12 - 5'7", 190 - Does not include short yardage situations

Willis McGahee: 282 carries, 6.2 ypc - Big East - 6'1", 224 - NFL Starter

Darren Sproles: 237 carries, 6.2 ypc (who just got drafted to backup LT) - Big 12 - 5'7", 180 - Again, no short yardage stats in there

Chris Brown: 303 carries, 6.1 ypc - Big 12 - 6'3", 220 - NFL Starter

Joe Smith: 208 carries, 5.8 ypc - WAC - 6'1", 218 - Not exactly a defensive conference

Fred Russell: 220 carries, 5.7 ypc - Big 10 - 5'8", 190 - probably not a short yardage guy.

Terry Caulley: 220 carries, 5.7 ypc - Independant - 5'7", 186 - weak schedule

Michael Turner: 338 carries, 5.7 ypc - MAC - 6"0", 228 - 2nd tier conference

Jason Wright: 219 carries, 5.6 ypc - Big 10 - 5'10", 210 - ?

Maurice Clarett: 222 carries, 5.6 ypc - Big 10 - 6'0", 230

Chris Downs: 208 carries, 5.5 ypc - ACC - 5'8", 193 - Another little guy

Terry Jackson II: 238 carries, 5.5 ypc -S. Illinois - 5'11", 195 - light schedule

Derrick Knight: 259 carries, 5.5 ypc - Big East - 5'9", 205 - no short yardage

Take away the little, obvious 3rd down type backs and the players from 2nd tier conferences and you're left with McGahee, Johnson, Brown, Clarett, St Jackson, Davis, and Suggs - all of whom are NFL caliber starters. I think Clarett's 5.6 stands up pretty well.

Also, OSU didn't have phenomenal talent around him. They had a phenomenal defense but very average offensive players. Their line was far from phenomenal. Look at the rushing averages since.

That's pretty good analysis, except...1) What do you mean Griffin's numbers don't include short yardage carries? He had more TDs than Clarett IIRC, and was an everydown back.

2) Not sure exactly the stories behind Jason Wright and Fred Russell.

3) Comparing LJ's 7.7 ypc to Clarett's 5.6 ypc is silly. That's like comparing Clarett to a 3.4 ypc guy. The same to a lesser extent with Griffin.

 

[Exile]

I have no thoughts about how Clarett will ultimately turn out as a 3rd round pick for the Broncos, but...As a Tatum Bell owner in a Keeper (not Dynasty) league, I LOVE this pick. I mean, really, even if Clarett turns out to be as talented as some of the other backs Shanahan COULD have grabbed, is there one of them who is LESS likely to be ready to compete for the starting job this year than Clarett? He hasn't played competitive football in what? 18 months? And how many times during that period has he shown up for a workout with NFL scouts/coaches out of shape and slow? All of them? Certainly most of them.I just don't see how this guy can be expected to get back in playing shape, learn the ropes of just being a rookie in the NFL, learn the offense AND legitimately compete for the starting spot. I just think it's too much to expect.Next year maybe, but that's next year. Right now the job is Bell's to lose and Clarett won't even be first in line if Bell falters.

 

[Family Matters]

Also, OSU didn't have phenomenal talent around him. They had a phenomenal defense but very average offensive players. Their line was far from phenomenal. Look at the rushing averages since.

IIRC-OSU had 17 players drafted into the NFL from that team in just 1 year. There were also a few from the year after the championship. Are you sure they didn't have talent?

 

[BGP]

What kind of money does the last pick in the 3rd roung get?

I have a feeling once he hits any kind of decent payday, he will quit (get lazy and go downhill)

Why do you say this? His stated dream was to play in the NFL, not the NCAA.

 

[Family Matters]

His press conference just now was painful to listen to. Dude's dumber than a bag of hammers and won't take any ownership of his past problems - he just wants to sweep it under the rug because "I'm living a dream right now."

He's going to be a mess.

I keep trying to tell people he hasn't changed. He has learned nothing. He will continue to make the same mistakes over and over. The point you made about being accountable is where is all begins. He continues to blame others for his troubles. It's never his fault.

 

[BGP]

2) I also think Clarett's skill set is overrated. He only played one year, 2002, and here were his ranks:

31st in rushing yards

33rd in rushing yards per carry (minimum: 100 carries)

T-14th in rushing touchdowns

This is what I keep coming back to. Yes, Clarett had a solid year as a freshman, but I think it's also overblown since he did it on a national championship team.And as mentioned, he only played one year, and now is a couple of years of rust on him.

Again, we're not exactly in a position to evaluate talent like Shanny, but if he can get this one to work, good for him.

To put it another way...does anyone know/care who ranked 29th and 30th in rushing yards in 2002?

You guys have to come up with some better stats. He had those despite missing 3 full games and most of 2 others. To play only 9 full games and still rank that high is pretty good. OSU ran the ball 629 times that year vs. 280 passes yet - everyone knew they were running yet he only had 29 yds for loss vs 1266 for gain. As for the Miami game, Tressel called the most conservative game possible, running 52 times vs 21 passes, with most running plays coming on 1st and 2nd down. Nobody could have run well under those circumstances. Anyone remember Clarett running down Sean Taylor after an interception and stripping the ball? Did that look like a quitter? And for the injury prone label, he had 1 injury that year but kept coming back too early when they needed him. Once again, not the sign of a quitter.

When did I ever call Clarett a quitter?I figured "you guys" would refute my rushing yards criticism with the fact that he missed some time. Can you now explain why he ranked 33rd in yards per carry?

Clarett's a good player--but the media overblew everything. He's not nearly as "bad" a person as he's made out to be, but he's not nearly as "amazing" a player as he's viewed.

You didn't. I was just rambling. The quitter label seems to be the overriding character flaw right now. His yards per carry were greatly affected by the play calling of Tressel. If you watch any of Tressel's games, a 2nd grader can defense the calls. He calls probably the most conservative games of any division 1 coach. Everybody knows they are running on 1st and 2nd down. OSU hasn't had a RB anywhere near a 5.6 since, even with basically the same line.

How many above him had more than 200 carries. There's a big difference between 100 and 200 carries. How many were full time backs - they ran the ball on 1st down. I would point to Steven Jackson as an example of a back with relatively average ypc doing well in the NFL. What was his ypc his last year, around 4.5? And that's in the defensively weak Pac 10. I would think 33rd in the country (in the Big 10) is a positive, not a negative.

I'm well aware that the correlation between college YPC and NFL success may not be very strong. For what it's worth, Clarett's YPC ranked 11th among RBs with 200 carries in 2002.Larry Johnson: 271 carries, 7.7 ypc

Quentin Griffin: 282 carries, 6.6 ypc

Willis McGahee: 282 carries, 6.2 ypc

Darren Sproles: 237 carries, 6.2 ypc (who just got drafted to backup LT)

Chris Brown: 303 carries, 6.1 ypc

Joe Smith: 208 carries, 5.8 ypc

Fred Russell: 220 carries, 5.7 ypc

Terry Caulley: 220 carries, 5.7 ypc

Michael Turner: 338 carries, 5.7 ypc

Jason Wright: 219 carries, 5.6 ypc

Maurice Clarett: 222 carries, 5.6 ypc

Chris Downs: 208 carries, 5.5 ypc

Terry Jackson II: 238 carries, 5.5 ypc

Derrick Knight: 259 carries, 5.5 ypc

Other notables:

Brock Forsey: 295 carries, 5.5 ypc

Kevin Jones: 160 carries, 5.4 ypc

Steven Jackson: 319 carries, 5.3 ypc

Carnell Williams: 141 carries, 5.3 ypc

Lee Suggs: 257 carries, 5.2 ypc

Dom Davis: 193 carries, 4.8 ypc

Clarett's numbers certainly aren't bad, but they don't stand out either. He was effective on a national championship team, with phenomenal talent surrounding him. Sure Dom Davis performed worse and Quentin Griffin performed better, so it's hard to peg Clarett's NFL prospects based on this. But I certainly don't look and say "WOW, if not for his character issues this guy would be a lock to be an NFL star."

Clarett has the talent.The question is "can he stay healthy?"

 

[Family Matters]

ignore clarett's stats. the crucial thing about him is that he already ran in a natural NFL style - showing feel for finding creases, a burst through hole, a good instinct for when to initiate contact, a good instinct for when to break it to the outside, and incredible short yardage skills.

if clarett is given a shot, he'll produce. the question is whether he'll keep his head on straight for long enough to get it, and stay healthy once he gets it.

That is the key. Will he take advantage of the opportunity or just take advantage of people?

 

[BGP]

ignore clarett's stats. the crucial thing about him is that he already ran in a natural NFL style - showing feel for finding creases, a burst through hole, a good instinct for when to initiate contact, a good instinct for when to break it to the outside, and incredible short yardage skills.

if clarett is given a shot, he'll produce. the question is whether he'll keep his head on straight for long enough to get it, and stay healthy once he gets it.

That is the key. Will he take advantage of the opportunity or just take advantage of people?

I think the character issues are overblown. Yeah, the media had a field day tearing him apart. But I'm not sure if this isn't just a case of a young kid making a couple bad decisions and then getting some bad advice. The concern is his durability. That is what scares me away from considering him in my draft. NFL or fantasy.